Mortality of Fledged Whooping Cranes in the Aransas-Wood Buffalo Population

Authors

Kristin Brightwell, Western EcoSystems TechnologyFollow
Matt Rabbe, United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Nebraska Field Office, Wood River, Nebraska
Aaron T. Pearse, United States Geological Survey, Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center, Jamestown, North Dakota
Ben Bainbridge, POWER Engineers
Karen Tyrell, Western EcoSystems TechnologyFollow
Clayton Derby, Western EcoSystems Technology

Date of this Version

2023

Document Type

Article

Citation

Proceedings of the North American Crane Workshop (2023) 16: 104–116

Comments

United States government work

Abstract

Maintaining accurate mortality records for endangered species is important for guiding management and conservation actions. Mortalities of whooping cranes (Grus americana) in the Aransas-Wood Buffalo Population (AWBP) are documented in published records from 1950 through 2010. This paper documents publicly available records of known mortalities from 2011 through 2023, and updates historic records from 1950 to 2010. Public sightings and telemetry carcass records were restricted to fledged whooping cranes from the AWBP and stratified by confirmed, suspected, and unknown causes across the annual range (i.e., summer, migration, and winter). This mortality update provides more certainty associated with available carcass data and reduces discrepancies in existing published information.